Thigh Pain During Period: What to Know

When most women get their periods, they complain of one thing, and one thing only. Cramps. You would think that is the only thing that is bothersome pain-wise during a woman's period. Commercials on t.v. cater to cramps. If a woman clutches her abdomen, another woman expresses sympathy. "That time of month?," she'll ask, nodding in understanding. "Have you tried some Midol?". But does anyone ever mention a pain worse than cramps? A pain that other women share, too, when they get their periods? The pain in thighs during a period. Really - have you ever heard that talked about on commercials? Probably because there's no magic pill formulated to work specifically on thigh pain during a woman's period. So women not only have to deal with several days of feeling bloating, having cramps, being irritable and prone to crying fits, they also have thigh pain during their periods! All this because they were, as Lady Gaga sings, "born this way". Wonderful.

One cause I found several women discussing on an internet forum that dealt with thigh pain during periods was, interestingly enough, related to iron deficiency. Many of these women were poo-pooed by their doctors, who figured it was all in their heads related to their periods when they complained of pain in their legs and thighs. Not all of these women tested anemic, either, which is probably why their doctors never associated iron deficiency with period thigh pain. By taking supplemental iron they discovered it eased up on the thigh pain during their periods. Another deficiency that can be present at the same time that also will lead to thigh pain is magnesium deficiency. And yet another idea I read is that the pain may occur because women may be dehydrated during the time of their period, and this can cause an electrolyte imbalance due to deficiency of - you guessed it - even more vitamins and/or minerals! Sodium, potassium, chloride, iron, and phosphate among them. And let's not forget calcium! I hope a multivitamin will help because it's the only way I know to get all those deficient items into one pill. I don't have the time, money, or patience to count out eight or more supplements daily for all those missing nutrients in my body! Even if I do get tremendous thigh pain during my period. I also don't have the desire to eat all those foods that are supposedly rich in these nutrients. Cheese, barley, black beans, carrot juice and mollusks are just some of the oh so not exciting foods I could eat to make up for this imbalance in nutrients. I'd rather get my calcium through a giant bar of milk chocolate. It's also suggested that a woman drink eight glasses of water daily to stay hydrated. Good advice, especially if you love running to the bathroom every ten minutes. Of course, that's one way to combine some extra exercise with staying hydrated!

And then there are also all those physical ailments that can cause thigh pain during one's period, such as endometriosis or fibromyalgia. That's just wonderful to think about. I'll choose to believe it's from vitamin and mineral deficiency unless, of course, the multi-vitamin/mineral supplement I started taking doesn't work.

Exercise is an additional way to help diminish thigh pain during periods. Also massaging the area. That's only if you can get someone else to do the massage. I certainly don't want my hands cramping up along with my abdomen and thighs! My favorite suggestion is a nice, hot bath. With a giant milk chocolate bar in one hand, glass of wine in the other. Perhaps the thigh pain will melt away, maybe it won't. It won't matter much because I'll still be feeling nice and refreshed. Even if the thigh pain during my period survives such hard hitting and aggressive treatment as a soak in the tub. There's always the knowledge it will be over in a few days. At least until the following month